Frequently Asked Questions

Ingenuity 2018 will take place September 28-30 at the Hamilton Collaborative in Saint Clair Superior.

2. Where is the Hamilton Collaborative?

We are located at:
5401 Hamilton Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114

3. When will you start accepting applications for bands at IngenuityFest? When will I know if I’m accepted?

All band calls are rolling. We start pushing our band application out around the first of the year, and make programming decisions throughout the spring for IngenuityFest in the fall. You increase your chances of Festival acceptance if you apply by May 1. We don’t send bands rejection notices, because all of your applications go into an archive that we pull from to complete our year-round programming, and there’s always a chance we can slot you in down the road! If you’ve applied in the past, it never hurts to update your application with us. If you’re looking at taking another opportunity for our same weekend, it doesn’t hurt to check in with us, but in general, if you’ve not received an acceptance by mid-late summer, we will not be booking you for the fall festival. Apply at through our Musician Call.

4. How else can I perform or install work at Ingenuity?

We work with artists, entrepreneurs, makers, educators, and content producers of all types! You increase your chances of Festival acceptance if you apply by May 1 (or earlier for large projects seeking substantial funding), but as with our Musician Call, applications for our Maker, Artist and Exhibitor Call are accepted on a rolling basis and enter a database for all time!

5. What if I wanna sell stuff or talk about my business?

Some of our participants sell work as makers. These folks have a focus on explaining their process and often provide a hands-on activity as part of their exhibit. They should visit our Maker, Artist and Exhibitor Call.

If you simply want to focus on peddling your wares, you can visit our Vendor Information Page. There you will find our calls for

Please note, vendors are responsible for all proper permitting, including but not limited to health, hazardous materials, private property food vending, and propane handling permits, in addition to applicable City of Cleveland-issued vendor ID badges.

6. How much does it cost to attend IngenuityFest?

IngenuityFest in 2018 will cost $5. This minimal fee supports local artists and maintains IngenuityLabs as a year-round hub for creativity. Weekend passes are $10 and children 12 and under are FREE!.

7. Why do you have all of those corporate vendors at the Fest?

These guys help pay for all the cool installations and performances you come to explore and discover! We need their support! Do you have a great idea for a corporate vendor that aligns with our mission? Send them over!

8. Who should come to IngenuityFest?

Everybody! We’ve got stuff for the kiddos as well as the grandparents. In general, the event is pretty family friendly, though we have some more daring spaces that skew toward an edgier audience at night. While we think it is important to maintain space for all types of expression, we do try to warn audiences in our printed program or on signage where this type of programming will occur – in our Ingenuity Cabaret, for instance!

9. Can I bring my dog to IngenuityFest?

Sorry, we should have said: everybody human! Sadly, we do ask that you leave Cujo at home – our new home is primarily indoors and can get crowded and uncomfortable for dogs and some of the people around them.

10. Does Ingenuity do anything else during the year?

YES! In the spring we host the programs like our Bal Ingénieux – a costume party, celebration of the creative class, and nod to Cleveland’s history. We also produce the Cleveland Mini Maker Faire in partnership with the Cleveland Public Library – it’s a day of learning, creativity, and DIY projects! Since 2013, Ingenuity has been a host organization in the Creative Fusion program with the Cleveland Foundation. And in 2015 we introduced Agents of Ingenuity – a conversation series connecting everyone from students to business leaders to the creative sector. IngenuityLabs supports area creatives out of our space at the Hamilton Collaborative, where the Ingeneers also meet weekly. We also host classes, workshops and open houses: all of this is aimed at building a self-generating culture of creativity for our neighborhood and beyond!

11. WOW! I want to get involved! How do I help?

Awesome! We’re so glad you asked! One of the easiest ways to support us is with a tax-deductible donation. You can support ALL this programming by visiting ingenuitycleveland.com/donatetoday! But you can also get hands on! Our volunteer page has more info on joining up during our events – especially IngenuityFest – but will also let you know about becoming an Ingeneer! This group of young and the young at heart spans all backgrounds and disciplines, and meets weekly (Thursdays right now) at the Hamilton Collaborative to tackle creative projects of all sorts. You can also email our Artistic Director, Emily Appelbaum, here to join up.

12.I work/volunteer with another organization/institution and we’d love to collaborate with Ingenuity on programming. Who do I talk to?

Sign up for our e-newsletter by putting your email into the top box of the right-hand column (we only send them out about once a month! Sometimes a couple more right before an event…) AND follow us on social media! We’re on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

14. Are you ever going back to the bridge?!?!

We’ve heard your loud and clear – “Go back to the bridge, that was so unique and awesome!” – well first, thanks! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! The catacombs of the Detroit Superior bridge remain near and dear to us; venues like this pose challenges in terms of safety, power, and insurance – which we are thrilled to tackle in order to create opportunities for the public. With your support, we can continue to activate highly unusual spaces like the bridge and beyond!

Didn’t cover your question? Send any general inquiries to info@ingenuitycleveland.org.